Following Liverpool's victory against City last month, Gerrard's post-match quip "we go again" became somewhat of a catchphrase for the club's season.

Liverpool were effectively seven points from their first domestic title in 24 years facing the final three games of the season, but Gerrard's untimely slip in the defeat to Chelsea and a "comic book collapse" at Crystal Palace handed City the advantage ahead of season's climax.

Rodgers and Gerrard, though, maintained the players would be back to challenge again next season.

"Congratulations to Manchester City," Rodgers told BBC Radio 5Live. "After 38 games if you are top of the league then you win the title and you deserve it.

"They've got some outstanding players, a manager who's come in and adapted well to English football. I hope they have a good evening. We will go away and celebrate the success we've had this season and go again."

"We will strengthen in the summer. The key word is belief."

Following their win against Newcastle, Gerrard said: "If someone had said to me that we would go into the last game with a slim chance of winning the league I'd have taken that at the start of the season. But as a footballer you always want more.

"We have been unlucky - we gave it a great shot, but we fell a little bit short. But what do we do? We dust ourselves down and go again.

"If we add to this team and the squad in the right areas we are capable of challenging. Things have changed here - the supporters know that and the players know that.

"We are genuine title contenders before a ball is kicked next year, and we need to go and prove that we're the top side in the league over 38 games, and not second."